Stella Rosevelt — page 320: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ae 314 “I PROMISE.” that he and the fair-haired, gentle girl standing beside him had suffered while they were members of his family. He had no words of thanks to offer for this generous help in time of need, but if ever a world-weary heart was relieved of a _burden too heavy to be borne, his was, when at length he folded that precious bit of paper and put it away for future use. When he arose to take his leave, he took both of Star’s hands in his and drew her aside, where he could speak to her alone. ‘‘But for you,” he said, in unsteady tones, ‘‘I should have been a ruined man a week hence. To tell you that I am ashamed to receive this gift from you does not express half what I feel, when I look back and remember your position in my family. But you have bestowed it so kindly and delicately that it would be churlish in me to refuse it; and you have taught me a lesson which, God helping me, I will never forget—a lesson of forgiveness and charity ; and zo one in my house shall ever be treated unkindly again, no matter what their position may be,” he concluded, with stern resolution. ‘‘Please forget all the past, Mr. Richards,” Star returned, sweetly, but with evident embarrassment. ‘‘I never entertained any feeling save that of gratitude and good-will toward you, for you proved yourself interested in my welfare in more instances than one while I was with you. But,” she added, solemnly, while she clung tightly to his hands, and looked into his eyes with an expression which made them droop guiltily before her, ‘will you not promise me that, no matter how dark the future may be to you, no matter what trials or disappointments may come to you, you will never again meditate eo | yourself an wrreparable wrong P’ _ “A streak of dusky red shot across the man’s forehead, while his veins filled out hard and full. ‘«Star,” he stammered, ‘‘what do you mean?—what do you know?’ | comicbooks (E(@)